Sleepless in Manhattan
by twitchytwain
Summary: The year isn't off to a great start for relationship advice columnist Caroline Forbes. She makes the mistake of sleeping with her best friend Stefan, who then proceeds to tell her about the girl he likes. This prompts Caroline to go on a dating detox but just as she starts her man-ban, a rather sexy artist crosses her path.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Sleepless in Manhattan

Synopsis: The year isn't off to a great start for relationship advice columnist Caroline Forbes. She makes the mistake of sleeping with her best friend Stefan, who then proceeds to tell her about the girl he likes. This prompts Caroline to go on a dating detox but just as she starts her man-ban, a rather sexy artist crosses her path.

Pairings: Caroline and Klaus

Rating: T-M

..

Heat licked her skin before she cracked an eye open to a view of perfectly shaped globes of tanned ass. Caroline tensed and closed her eyes again, shutting out the image of the gorgeous swell of firm buttocks. She was in Stefan's apartment or rather Stefan's bedroom to be precise. The radiator hissed in the corner of the bedroom while Stefan moved around the space.

She gathered it to be morning by the shimmer of light over her closed eyelids. She held her breath and waited for him to leave the bedroom. She didn't feel like dealing with last night's consequences just yet. When she heard him quietly slip out of the room she opened her eyes and sat up. The sheets were tangled around her legs and she pulled the sheet up to her chest to cover herself.

Last night had been a huge mistake.

She had built a career educating people about love and relationships and yet she'd failed to follow her own rules. As a relationship advice columnist she should have known that her little adventure with Stefan wouldn't end well. Her mind flashed back to the early hours of morning just after she had made love to Stefan. Right in that what the fuck did we just do and afterglow moment of new possibilities he had confessed that he was in love with someone else.

She'd felt so humiliated and somehow felt guilty for feeling humiliated because Stefan was her friend after all. She didn't even really like Stefan like that and the sex had just happened. Perhaps they'd both been lonely or bored but hearing him speak so profoundly about someone else still hurt and made her feel like shit.

A sigh slipped from her throat and she closed her eyes. When she heard the running shower, she quickly rolled off the bed, scrambled to her feet and draped a sheet around her naked body. She looked around the floor for her dress amid the glittery top hats, pink New Year's Eve party sunglasses and feather boas they had adorned last night at the party.

Slipping back into her silver cocktail dress, she put on her stilettos and got back down on all fours to look for her thong. When her search proved fruitless, she panicked because not only did she not want to make the great trek to her apartment commando but she did not want to leave any trace of herself at Stefan's apartment. She didn't want him thinking that she'd purposely left her panties at his apartment in the hopes of coming back for them. When she reached for her pink cashmere coat at the foot of the bed she got the idea to search the bed for her thong and found it tangled in the sheets. After she pulled her panties up over her hips she stood for a moment holding her breath and listened to check if the shower was still running. Concluding that Stefan was still in the shower, she grabbed her clutch bag and tiptoed out of his room and out into the hallway.

Stefan's voice trilled from the hallway just as she closed the door

Reaching the freight elevator, she pushed the button and waited impatiently glancing over her shoulder to see if Stefan was following her. A shiver snaked down her spine when memories from last night began to filter through her mind again; Stefan's face poised over hers, Stefan moaning into their kiss. She shook her head, running her fingers through her rumpled blonde hair and pulled her phone out of her clutch to check her messages. It was dead. She noticed dustings of glitter on the floor, the same glitter color from their top hats the night before.

Caroline stepped into the elevator and exited his apartment building. She wanted to fast forward a few months and forget last night ever happened. They had drunk champagne, braved the crowds, watched the ball drop and sang Auld Lang Syne before heading back to Stefan's place to make out on his fire escape. She still wasn't quite sure when kissing on his fire escape had turned to steaming up the sheets on his bed but it had happened.

The streets were still quiet with snow covered sidewalks and shuttered storefronts. Had she not taken Stefan up on his stupid offer, she'd be at home right now sleeping in. She began to walk down the sidewalk, stumbling through the snow in her stilettos. She cast a gaze at the trees lining the street, their branches covered with glittering snow and her face softened a little. There was nothing more beautiful than New York in winter.

Turning up the collar of her coat, she lifted her head to look up at the gray sky and her hair fell in blonde waves down her back. She inhaled deeply as the cold reddened her cheeks. The city smelled clean, cold but the tang of urine and trash was still there but not quite as pronounced as it was during the summer season.

She let out a sigh. It was a new year filled with new hope and new beginnings. It was a time when people made new year's resolutions like signing up for gym to trim their meaty legs, like drinking less, spending less and bitching less. As she stood there in the freezing cold, she felt like she too needed to make a resolution.

Life was all about choices and she was making one now. No more dating. Prevention was way better than cure for a broken heart. She was going to miss the thrill of making eye contact with hot strangers, hopeful first dates with their sizzling kisses but she had to do this. This had to be done.

Two yellow cabs rushed past her as he raised her arm to hail one of them. She noticed that the numbers on the rooftop sign of the cabs were unlit which meant that the cabs were either occupied or the driver was looking to score a bigger tip by getting a hotel trip to the airport. Dropping her arm again, she wrapped her arms around herself and avoided a closed manhole by walking around it. She had nightmares about open manholes around the city and was pretty sure that one day she would fall into one and that would be the end of her single and fabulous life.

She caught sight of another taxi as it turned the corner onto the street and made its way toward her. She moved closer to the street and hailed the cab. As the taxi pulled up in front of her, she reached for the door handle just as someone ran in front of her, stretching his hand for the same door.

She turned her head toward the stranger and glared at him.

"Mine." She grunted, shoving him out of the way. She was turning into a cavewoman who could barely string a sentence together. Her manners were clean forgotten because she was hungry, hung-over and her feet hurt like a bitch. What she needed was an ocean of brewed coffee from Dean and Deluca and a sausage panini to cure the hang-over.

"Rough morning, love?" he asked, his dimples winking in his cheeks. She cursed under her breath determined not to react to his British accent, let alone his brown curly hair and dark blue eyes but his pretty mouth and that arresting smile was making it darn hard not to react. She felt his gaze slide over her, taking in the details of her untidy outfit and she felt even dirtier like an ex-boyfriend had caught sight of her on her worst day.

"Move." She grunted again and moved toward the open cab door before she felt his hand on her arm.

"Unhand me!"

"Really, are we in the thirteenth century now?" his eyebrow shot up and a smile teased his lips.

"What do you want?" She asked, wriggling free just as he freed her arm.

"Would you like to share the taxi?"

"I don't share." She crossed her arms and looked up at him disapprovingly. She didn't care that she was coming off looking like a disgruntled three-year old in the process.

"Technically it's not your taxi."

"It's mine."

"We were both standing at the same spot and at the same time and I also believe we hailed it at the same time."

"What are you a lawyer trying to win a case?" she narrowed her eyes, her gaze roving over him.

"I'm just a bloke trying to get home so that I can wash this painfully awkward walk of shame with a hot shower. I'm sure you understand my dilemma, sweetheart."

"You are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you" Caroline snapped back and hurriedly climbed inside the back of the cab. When he followed behind her she didn't try and stop him. She was exhausted and wanted to get home stat.

"Klaus Mikaelson" he said, sticking out his hand. He didn't bother to hide his smile when she merely glared at his hand.

"Where to?" the driver asked, pulling out as the meter clicked.

"West fifty-ninth and eightieth." Caroline responded, scooting an inch or two away from the cab-crasher.

"You're a long way from home, Dorothy."

"Stop talking, Toto"

"So you think you'll call him gain?"

"Who?"

"Your lucky guy from last night."

She was about to admit that there was nothing lucky about last night. In fact she wanted to forget last night but she didn't divulge her personal life to strangers no matter how handsome they might be.

"What makes you think this is some sort of walk of shame?" she asked, catching the light dusting of hair on his chest peaking through the V of his gray t-shirt as he removed his woollen scarf. Well he certainly had the whole rugged, city confidence thing down pat. She tore her gaze away and stared out of the window.

"Because I recognize a chum when I see one and you are wearing last night's night smoky eye shadow. It looks quite fetching I might add, especially with the glitter" he smiled wickedly, pointing at her face with his finger. She fought the edge to reach out and bite that finger.

"Fetching, "Caroline scoffed instead and leaned her head against the bench of the cab. What man said things like fetching? What man looked deliciously rompy with deliciously tousled hair at eight am on a freezing Sunday morning? She closed her eyes and wished she had a pair of earphones to shut him out. Before he had the chance to annoy her with more banter, the taxi came to a stop outside her apartment building. She smiled, pulled out a few bills from her clutch and tucked them into the pocket of his rugged tweed coat.

"The rest of your ride is on me" she said patting his pocket. She could feel his eyes on her as she climbed out of the cab and she told herself that she shouldn't look back as she made her way into the building.

..

Klaus's eyes were glued to her deliciously round buttocks as she walked away from him and he appreciated the view. Her face hadn't been too bad either. She was cute in that bubbly-girl-next-door fashion and Klaus was sure that underneath all that morning grumpiness was a sexy, unassuming woman he'd love to take out to dinner.

As soon as the taxi pulled away from cute cavewoman's apartment building the spell was broken. He rested his head against the seat and closed his eyes. He was tired but not from a wild night of sex with some stranger like he had implied to cute blonde. After long months of hard work he had finally finished his paintings for a solo exhibit. Everything was wrapped and his pieces were ready for to be transported to the gallery.

After spending a week at the studio and existing on pizza and wine, he was finally heading back to his own apartment in Tribeca.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and when he retrieved it, he quickly glanced at the screen to see the caller. Swiping his thumb across the screen he picked up the call.

"Camille."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in a taxi. I just left the studio."

"Is everything packed and ready to go?"

"Yeah. Listen, I'm truly knackered but I left the pieces in Lucien's care. They're ready for transportation."

"Great, listen I need to talk to you about your spring showing at the David Galliard gallery-"

"It's pretty simple, I'll supply the art and the gallery will supply the wall space." He rolled his eyes, a hint of a smile touching his lips. Camille said something about the gallery accessing his potential but he was barely listening.

"They don't want to invest in a vanishing artist and need to know that you're in this for the long haul."

Examining his nails nonchalantly, he drawled "Do they want my oath in blood?"

"You're in one of your moods again. We'll chat later." She said and hung up before he could protest, not that he wanted to. He didn't have the energy to do or think about anything else but his bed.

He loathed the business part of exhibits because all he wanted was to show his complete body of work. Yes, he was looking for a gallery that matched his personality, a place that would know his value and appreciate him as an artist but the work always came first. He had exhibited at other established galleries and some pretty good reviews to show for it.

In a few days he would be showing at the Robert Chadwick gallery. The galleries clientele fit him and they had already gone through his portfolio, selecting the items that they wanted to show from the itemized digital images. Everyone was happy with the pieces and the theme.

By the time he opened he opened his eyes, the driver was honking his phone and the meter was still clicking. Klaus pulled out his wallet, paid him then peeled himself off the seat and climbed out of the cab. Slowly he trudged into his brick apartment building. After getting into an elevator, he leaned against the wall and watched the numbers until the doors opened indicating his arrival on his floor. He took a few steps toward his apartment and opened the door to his loft.

He climbed a set of metal stairs leading up to his bedroom; the metal clanking with every step he took. He stopped halfway, listening for the sounds he thought he heard but when he heard nothing he continued to climb, his hand trailing the bannister. He shrugged off his coat as he entered his bedroom and was about to toss the thing on a chair next to his bed when his eyes caught movement on the bed.

Hayley was in bed straddling another man. After a whirr of movements, legs stumbling off the bed, hair whipping cheeks and arms clutching sheets to hide their nakedness, Hayley and her fellow fornicator stood in front of him, mouths agape. Klaus cast a glance at the olive skinned man, clenched his hands into fists but thought better of it.

It wasn't worth it.

She wasn't worth it because she was never really his to begin with. She was just a model he'd picked up after some show. Sure she'd moved in with him and had been sharing his space since July but then he got busier and busier and she had obviously found someone to replace him with.

Before Klaus could say anything, Hayley was hurtling at him with tears in her eyes. This was hardly the welcome he'd expected and her attacking him after she'd been caught cheating was alarming if not laughable. He didn't know how to react and so after her lover tried to control her by holding her back, Klaus simply told her to pack up her things and leave. She didn't move an inch, just stood there staring at him. Klaus looked at the bed again then he turned to look at Hayley expectantly as if to ask what she was waiting for.

After some probing from a now fully dressed-whoever the fuck the bloke was-she slipped back into her jeans and shirt, huffily stuffed what little clothes she had in his closet inside a duffel bag and left. After the commotion, he locked his doors, vowed to change the locks and preceded back to his bedroom to strip the bed off the soiled sheets.

Maybe he was to blame for the collapse of their relationship, maybe he'd let the work consume him but then again perhaps she had fulfilled her role as a muse. His new work was incredible and he had no doubt that the show would be a success.

..

Three days later Caroline was back at the office and had managed to successfully avoid any calls from Stefan thanks to screening her calls. There was a buzz in the office with well wishes for New Years and hugs being passed around like gift bags after a fashion show. Caroline passed the front office with the receptionist sitting behind a sleek modern desk and nodded her greeting at Angie. The name of the magazine was proudly mounted on the glass wall behind her. This was Caroline's fifth year at Scarlett magazine and she loved it. She'd paid her dues and she now had a small office to show for it.

Inside her office, she settled at her gleaming desk and logged into her computer. Her gaze swept over the small office as she waited for her computer to boot up. It was a stylish space with graphic paintings on the wall and an L-shaped white leather sofa against one wall and the flowers added a nice touch. She took a sip of coffee from her Dean and Deluca cup and drummed her fingers against the mug. She was trying not to think about the incident with Stefan and so in order to keep her mind occupied she dived straight into her work. She screened through the e-mails seeking her advice and opened one.

 _Dear Sleepless in Manhattan,_

 _I'm not looking for a relationship right now but I still wanna have a bit of fun and hey, a girl has needs right? Can you give me some friends with benefits rules so I can avoid the drama and complication that comes with this sort of arrangement?_

 _Signed, Fun With Boundaries_

Caroline sat back in her chair and clasped her hands under her chin. She tapped her stiletto-clad foot, took another sip of coffee and began typing out her response.

 _Dear Fun With Boundaries,_

 _Successful FWB, NSA or fuck buddy relationships are an urban myth and they never end well. FWB are ongoing sexual relationships and people have been known to develop feelings in this situation. But back to your question, here are the rules to ensure an FWB with relatively low drama._

 _Set the ground rules and do not get romantically involved_

 _Set a time limit_

 _Tell no one about it_

 _No discussions about the future_

 _No weekend brunches_

 _No Netflix and chill_

 _Texting with him should only consist of sexting_

 _Have fun_

 _Signed, Sleepless in Manhattan_

Pursing her lips, she considered the response she'd finished typing and hit send. Did she even trust her own judgement after the night with Stefan? She sat back in her chair again and stared at her monitor. She'd sift through the rest of the e-mails and choose the ones that her editor could approve to go into the magazine.

Just as she had finished reading another letter, Bonnie the resident sexpert at the magazine peaked into the office. Her perfectly straight hair was draped over her left shoulder and her signature pencil skirts encased her hips to perfection. Bonnie was one of those women who could eat a house and not gain an ounce. Had it not been for the fact that she was one of Caroline's best-friends then she would have hated her solely for this reason.

"Morning." Bonnie greeted taking in the Dean & Deluca cup and waving with her own Starbucks cup.

"Hey."

"Jo is having a staff meeting in ten minutes." She pointed to her computer with her chin, implying that she had to wrap up whatever she was busy with.

"Oh joy." Caroline tipped her head to the side and rolled her eyes.

"We're going out for drinks tonight before heading to the art thing." She informed Caroline with a chuckle.

"What art thing?" Caroline asked, she hated being out of the loop especially when she thought it was her duty to manage all their social calendars.

"Some new artist is having a show. Read your texts, Forbes." Bonnie slapped the door before dashing off in the direction of her own office.

Caroline always met Bonnie and Katherine at Rush for their ceremonial Wednesday night cocktails but she wondered what the gallery show was about since none of them were art enthusiasts. Nonetheless, she needed the break so she didn't mind a busy social calendar.

..

"This is Lexi Branson from our Chicago office; she'll be taking over the health and fitness column." Jo announced as the ladies pulled out seats along the gleaming conference table in the boardroom. Caroline cast at glance at Lexi and took stock of her tousled long blonde hair, small smiling eyes and glowing pink cheeks.

Everyone exchanged greetings before settling into the all-important morning meeting. The meetings were usually held on Mondays but since they had just came back from the holidays then Wednesday it was.

Jo Parker, looking elegant in a navy-blue dress that did amazing things with her sharp blue eyes, cleared her throat, slipped on a pair of reading glasses and twisted the top off her bottled water.

Taking a sip from the bottle, she said "In the era of hookups and dating apps we've lost the art of romance. Women want to know how to find the one."

"Actually-"Caroline raised her hand. She was about to explain to her boss that women were still eager to know the rules in order to play the hook-up game, courtesy of the letters she received on a daily basis asking about no string attached relationships. She halted however when Jo cleared her throat, a sure sign that she didn't want to be interrupted.

"The trends are slowly moving towards simpler relationships, movies and dinners at home, meeting the friends, the parents. Women are ready to play the relationship game by their own rules. They don't want men to dictate how it works anymore. Women want to know how to meet and keep the one."

"There is no THE ONE. There is no soulmate. The idea that there is a single person out there who is just waiting to complete you is ridiculous." Bonnie huffed, lifting her mug of coffee to her lips. She paused, the mug halfway to her lips as she felt Jo's icy glare on her.

"As I was saying, Caroline our resident rela-"

"I'm undergoing a dating detox." The blonde announced perkily.

Exasperated, Jo leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingers on the table "I beg your pardon?"

"A man-ban. I'm not dating. I'm not kissing, cuddling any member of the opposite sex for the next six months. "

"Care, you don't date. You screen for husbands." Bonnie scoffed, oblivious to Jo's frustration.

"Remember when she bought that book on hunting for a husband?" Katherine laughed turning to Bonnie.

"That book was a bestseller thank you very much." Caroline raised her voice, her eyes darting between Kat and Bonnie, "Well either way, I'm packing it in. No more dating. I'm done with men."

A crash loud enough to make them jump from their seats echoed around the room as Jo purposely dropped a coffee mug on the marble floor. Once all eyes turned back toward her, she rested her elbows on the table and resumed the meeting.

"I'm giving you this assignment Miss Forbes, I don't care how you do it but I need an article on How to meet the one on my desk by the next deadline. "She peered at Caroline over the rim of her Dior reading glasses.

"Yes, Miss Parker." Caroline nodded, reminding herself that she worked well under pressure.

It wouldn't be a complete disaster.

..


	2. Chapter 2

Around five the office was a hum of activity as people packed it in for the day. Caroline heard the drone of conversations about dinner plans, movie night plans involving boyfriends and glared at her mobile phone. There wasn't one missed call from Stefan, not that she wanted one. She dropped the phone back in her bag and stripped off her ankle boots. She stored an extra pair of stilettos in the drawer of her desk in case she should snap a heel. Today the extra shoes were going to come in handy because her boots weren't glamorous enough for dinner at Rush followed by some art thing. Pulling open the drawer, she retrieved a pair of Louboutin spiked leather pumps and slipped into them.

Then feeling nervously agitated, she took out her hand mirror from her bag and flicked it open in order to examine her face. She looked tired like she'd just worked a sixteen hour day instead of eight hours.

She ran a tongue over the front teeth, followed this with her index finger and tried to smile into the mirror. After a quick toss of her hair and a fresh coat of lipstick, she was ready for a night out on the town.

..

When the cab pulled up in front of Rush, the place was already packed. Caroline could see the post-work crowd from the windows facing the street. Crisp air washed over them as soon as they climbed out of the cab but Caroline made sure to leave her coat unbuttoned so she could show off her black boat-neck dress with its scalloped hem. Bonnie, with her coat casually thrown over her arm was still in her pencil skirt but she'd traded her blue Oxford shirt for a sheer blouse unbuttoned low enough that her lace bra peeked out in front. Krysten dressed in slim boyfriend jeans, a lace teddy worn as a top and an oversized leather coat draped over her shoulders, walked ahead of them.

Caroline loved the vibe at Rush and as soon as they crossed over the threshold, a surge of energy pulsed through her. As per its norm, the restaurant had a higher ratio of men than women. The men came for the great steak and the drinks weren't too expensive plus people could hear themselves speak over the music.

They snaked their way through the crowd as a hostess led them to a table. They never had to wait for a table because aside from being regulars, Katherine was an entertainment writer who knew all the trendiest places in town. She was the in the know gossip and entertainment columnist for Scarlet magazine and had the golden key to the city. Katherine's clout by extension belonged to all three of them. There were nights that Caroline felt like they owned Manhattan that the city was for the taking and tonight felt like one of those nights. If only she could push the unfortunate evening with Stefan at the back of her mind but it was still eating away at her.

The tables were placed close together so they had to squeeze past other diners enjoying their wine and their boisterous conversation. When they finally sat down, Caroline sighed with relief as she hung her coat on the back of her chair. She glanced around the space and drank in the electric atmosphere before picking up her menu from the table. They ordered a round of mulled wine because it was too cold for cherry mojitos.

"I've lost my orgasm." Katherine broadcasted as soon as their server left to collect their drinks.

"Care to elaborate?" Bonnie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"Normally I can feel it rolling through my body, my entire body shaking as I come but this morning, nothing. "

"Have you had this problem before with uhm…?" Bonnie snapped her fingers as she tried to remember the name of Kat's latest conquest.

"Lucien and no-well I mean it's only the second time I've fucked him but the first time was great."

"And when was the first time?"

"Last night after our dinner at Mamba."

"And how long have you been dating this guy?"

"Counting New Year's Eve and this morning? It's been four days." Kat smiled, "We met at that crazy party in Midtown. Don't you remember? He kissed me at midnight"

Leaning back in her chair so the waiter could put her drink on the table in front of her, Bonnie said "Well maybe the sex has become perfunctory after four days."

"Gee thanks."

Taking her first sip, Bonnie mulled around the topic before adding, "The brain is the largest sex organ"

"Are you saying I'm not fascinating enough?" Kat mocked shock and took her own comforting sip from her glass.

"Have you tried doggy style? It's supposed to be perfect for clitoral stimulation." Bonnie shot her a glance, flicking back her long, eye-grazing bangs from her intense green eyes.

"Doggy style? Are you sure that's the correct clinical term?" Caroline gave Bonnie a look over the top of menu. Finally she snapped the menu shut and glared at her two best friends.

"Can we have one evening when we don't discuss men, sex or relationships?" she snapped, grabbing her glass and taking a greedy gulp.

"Aren't you writing an assignment about men, sex and relationships?"

"I'm not doing it?" she said. She refused to go out there again, no more bastards for her, Jo Parker be damned.

"So, what are you going to do about your writing assignment?"

"I'll just ask my wonderful friends to go out there; try to find the one and report back."

"That's cheating."

"I don't care."

"You're not gonna miss all this?" Kat waved her arm, indicating to the restaurant teeming with men.

"I'm not gonna stop socializing Kat, I'll just refrain from associating with men, cuddling, kissing and falling in love."

"No sex?"

"Is sex really that important?" she shrugged. When Katherine gasped, Caroline knew she'd gone overboard and that there was no turning back.

"I'm just saying that prince charming slayed a dragon for his lady love and men these days can't even offer to buy you a drink." Caroline gestured to an adjacent table to them sitting four men. She recognized two of the men to be staff from Urbane Man Magazine, their brother publication. She wondered if Stefan would make an appearance as he wrote a dating column for the magazine. As a writer of such gems like How to breakup via text and How to have a hassle free one night stand, it's no wonder their little escape had turned out the way it did. Stefan Salvatore, the suave dating expert from Urbane Man Magazine, she snorted and took another sip of her drink.

"Do you buy them drinks?" Katherine asked, snapping her back to reality.

"Of course not!" Caroline cracked back and busied herself with her napkin.

Cool as a glacier, Bonnie smiled and asked "And why not?"

"Because it's not customary for a woman to buy a man drinks. Women need to be wooed." Caroline's gaze scurried from Bonnie to Katherine.

With a shrug, Katherine took another eager sip of her drink and noted "Wooing is a relative term. I'll take a round of tequila shots at the trendiest bar in the city and call it wooing."

"I just expect more." Caroline whined. She looked at her friends and wondered when women had gotten like this. When had they become too dependent on men for their happiness? Tabloid headline always stated that a certain celebrity was looking refreshed and happy and so a new man had to be in her life. It couldn't be anything else, no self-actualization or something profound like that. No, she was happy because a new dick was fucking her.

Brilliant.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie pulled her from her thoughts.

"Yeah why?"

"I don't know. You haven't been the same since the New Year's Eve party"

"I'm fine."

The server brought out a trio of hanger steaks and a side plate of fries and a big salad. Digging into the food, Caroline looked around her again, drinking in the energy of the room. She'd always been the one to tell women to keep the faith, that their Mr. Right was somewhere out there waiting for them.

Now she was the one who had lost that faith.

..

They decided to walk the three blocks to the gallery. The night was young and the energy from the neighborhood filtered through them as they strolled down a street lined with boisterous bars and restaurants chockfull of glamorous people. When they finally reached the Robert Chadwick gallery, Caroline thrust out her chest and entered the gallery. She still wanted to make an impression even though she wasn't interested in having anyone approach her. The place was buzzing with an art crowd who kept pausing in front of pieces illuminated by pools of light.

After a few minutes of idle chatter, quaffing down free glasses of red wine and glaring at edgy pieces dominated by the color red, she spotted the fair stranger from the cab in the middle of the floor. He was talking to an older refined couple, explaining something to them. He looked devastatingly sexy with his rumpled hair and a cream cable knit sweater teamed with faded jeans, ripped at the knees. Caroline bet that he'd slept with half the city's female population in Manhattan and possibly London.

Spotting her, his eyes widened before settling into a pair of roguish slits paired with a wolfish smile. As he crossed the room, Caroline snatched another glass from a passing server and drained half of it then taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and feigned indifference. He stood in front of her, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans and said nothing. Undeterred by his wolfish smile, she continued to meet his gaze, determined to win the staring contest.

"Does it turn you on?" he finally spoke, signaling to the painting in front of her. A painting she hadn't noticed until he spoke of it.

Her mind was racing. What was here doing here? Of all the galleries in Manhattan he had to be at this one.

She was about to open her mouth when he chuckled, palming the back of his head and said, "You think its rubbish."

She was completely blank for a moment, just standing there and staring at the faint smile gracing the corners of his beautiful lips. She tried to remember the art terms she'd learnt in high school when she'd taken that stupid art class to please her mother but everything was jumbled up inside her head. Why did she care to impress him with art jargon anyway? She didn't care what he thought of her.

"You can tell me if you think its rubbish." he smiled sheepishly looking from her to the piece then back to her.

"Does this place serve any cherry mojitos?" she blurted out.

"I realize the lighting is shit, love but this is in fact an art gallery not a bar." Klaus looked at her questioningly but the sheepish grin never left his face.

"And what's that, the essence of art?" she gestured with her chin to a knot of guts suspended mid-air on guitar strings.

"I call that one the breakup." He deadpanned. She tried not to like the tease but her stomach was already doing flip flops.

"Well hung and messy. You've sold me. "She quipped, ignoring the shiver at the base of the spine.

"I might just cultivate an art collection after this" she said, and then turning her attention back to the painting she asked, "So you're the artist?"

"That would be correct."

"You're right, it really is shit." She lifted her glass to hide her smile behind it but when she turned to face him again, lowering her glass, his eyes drifted to her mouth making her forget herself again.

"Have dinner with me." He said, running his thumb over his bottom lip. She stared, her gaze fixed where his thumb trailed and swallowed. Lifting her gaze back to his, she curved her lips upward and turned her attention back to the painting.

She took a sip from her glass and said "You're barking up the wrong tree"

"You betting for the other team?" he asked, signaling to a woman in a blue dress across the room.

Shaking her head, Caroline lifted her chin and smiled, "I'm betting for team Caroline."

"I don't get it."

"I don't date."

"Great, I don't date either."

"You just asked me out to dinner."

"Dinner is not a date, sweetheart. It's just two people enjoying a meal together."

"Oh I get it. You want me to share your bed, have fun as you would term it and then what, end it ceremoniously after you've had your fill of me?" she snorted, laughing flatly, Guess what, not every woman in New York wants to share your bed?"

"How about just being my muse then?" he suggested and when she said nothing, he explained, "You know you can be friends with men, you don't necessarily have to date them."

She stole a glance at him and let through a faint smile.

Klaus continued his sell, "You can walk us, pat us, feed us and spill all your dirty little secrets and we won't tell a soul."

Caroline scrunched her forehead, "Are you saying that I'm judging men unfairly?"

"Caroline!" Katherine bellowed, striding toward them, "there you are."

"Caroline" Klaus repeated and the way her name sounded when spoken by him made her stomach clench with a mixture of lust and excitement.

"I like your voice" Katherine smiled up at Klaus and gestured to the painting, "your work speaks to me."

"Thank you." He said politely then resumed eye contact with Caroline.

"You're very welcome. A beautiful gift should be appreciated" Kat continued, her gaze drifting from the top of his messy hair to his jeans.

"Oh yeah, you wanna buy some art?" he asked and Caroline could see the reluctant twitch of his lips as he fought a smile.

"Will you look at that?" Kat motioned toward the entrance at a man entering looking quite lost, "an old acquaintance."

Caroline clutched her little purse closer to her chest and drained her glass. She set it down on a tray as a waiter brushed past her and cast a glance over Klaus's shoulder. A tall blonde with endless legs stood in front of another piece, she was talking to a few patrons but her eyes never left Klaus and Caroline.

"Your crowd awaits you." Caroline pointed at her with her chin.

With a quick glance over his shoulder, he said "They can sod off"

"Quite a salesman you are, "she pressed her lips together, her gaze sliding to meet his head-on, "good-night."

Before he could stop her, she walked with purpose, marching out of the gallery and into the cold evening air.

..

Throwing herself inside her tiny apartment, she switched on the overhead light, kicked off her shoes and unfolded her bed from the wall. She flung herself onto the single bed and stared up at her ceiling.

After contemplating whether to strip off her clothes and face the wrath of her cold apartment, she decided to remain in her coat. She hated the apartment but with her measly salary and her penchant for designer labels it was all she could afford. Propping herself up against a pile of pillows, she snatched a packet of chips from her nightstand and chewed violently while she glared at the tiny plastic needled Christmas tree holding one corner of the room. It was the sorriest looking Christmas tree and she'd meant to throw it out two days after Christmas but somehow she ended up feeling sorry for the thing.

An hour later, she still couldn't sleep and so she rifled through her cabinet for some cooking sherry. Three short glasses later, she was out like a light.

..

It was three in the morning when Klaus decided to take a shower. He hadn't felt like a night on the piss and so had decided to go back to his loft and worry freely about the reviews of the show. What if they thought he was a talentless tit?

He slung a towel around his neck and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He couldn't sleep, he hasn't been able to sleep in months but it was nothing new. He always got like that when he was working on a new project.

He'd be fine, he thought raking a hand through his hair. He just needed to get through the reviews and he'd be fine.

..


End file.
